Spiral galaxy · Cetus

NGC 247 Needle's Eye Galaxy

Also known as: C62

mag 9.220′ across

About

NGC 247, the Needle's Eye Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy of magnitude 9.2 in Cetus, about 20′ across.

NGC 247 is in the constellation Cetus.
Best evenings: around mid-November it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from south of 59° N.

When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.

EyesNot visible to the naked eye.
Binoculars (10×50)A faint streak of light, only from a dark site.
Telescope (6–8 inch)A thin spindle of light, sometimes with a dark dust lane along it.

For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.

Designations	NGC 247, C62, PGC 2758, UGCA 11
Type	Spiral galaxy (SABc)
Magnitude	9.2The smaller the number, the brighter.
Apparent size	20′ × 5.5′position angle 167°; the full Moon is 31′ across
Surface brightness	23.8 mag/arcsec²Average over its disc, in the blue band: the lower the number, the easier it is to see.
Constellation	Cetus
Right ascension (J2000)	00h 47m 08.5s
Declination (J2000)	−20° 45′ 37″